Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-06
INC European War Cloud.


Tho arcloud in Europe doesn't appear
TO grow any larger. 1t is moi improba Bile
t4at II may disappear altogether II Bis
msrck succeeds in getting a Reichstag
that viii pass his army bill. There are
reasons Cor thinking that there never was
any very serious danger OF war at this
time between France and Germany. Bis
marcE knows the feeling OF hostility that
exists in France toward Germany, and
it is probable that he is sbrewdy making
use of 1t to improve the prospects of his
army bill.
1t is true that France bates Germany,
and would gladly engage in a war with
her il she felt certain that she could get
satisfaction for the wrong which she feels
Germany has done her. She has not for
gotten the wound her pride received
sixteen years ago, and she is not likely
to forget 1t as long as the German
flag waves over Alsace and Lorraine, and
her people are burdened with the enor-
nous debt which the indemnity Ger
many exacted imposed upon her. She is
not ready to seek revenge now, however.
the time does not appear to be favorable,
and the French people, as much as they
admire Gen. BOulanger, are not with
out doubt about his ability to lead them
to victory. He has made some reputation
ss a soldier, but not enough to justify
them in inaugurating a struggle which,
Bismarck says, Will be fought TO exhaus-
ton when it is once begun.
Bismarck doesn't want war. He wants
peace, but ne talks war in order TO secure
what he deems necessary TO insure
peace. There is reason for suspecting
that he does not regard war as even prob
able IN the very near future. He knows,
OF course, that a conflict with France
within few years is inevitable, because
che will not consent to abide perma-
nently by the conditions which Germany
imposed upon her sixteen years ago.
1t may be that Bismarck now thinks
that he made a mistake in imposing such
harsh conditions. Alsace and Lorraine
are proving very expensive to Germany.
They are compelling her to maintain an
enormous military establishment. She
must at all times be ready to meet France
on the field Of battle and defend her pos
session Of those provinces. 1t would not
be surprising if there were a strong but
suppressed wish among Germans, who
feel the burden OF military duty and tax
alton, that Alsace and Lorraine had never
been taken from France.
France is also weighed down by the
burden Of great army, If it were not
for the hope of some day making Ger
many pay dearly for burdening her with
debt and despoiling her OF her territory
she would quickly get rid of part of
this burden. While the feeling OF revenge
predOminates, however, she must keep up
her great military establishment.
The news from Europe is apparently
very unreliable. That is because il ema-
mates from no authoritative source. The
fact is, there is no news of a sensational
sort, and therefore it is manufactured.
Spectators want startling news for
stock jObbng purposes, and so they set
exciting but grOundless rumors afoat.
The dispatches Of one day are contra
dicted by those of the next. That is the
way 1t has been for a mouth past, and the
way it Will probably continue to be until
Bismarck gets his army bill passed.
Then, in all probability, the dispatches
will have much more pacific tone.